Everything you want to know about the Pixel Watch 3

The Pixel Watch 3 is here, and it’s quickly becoming one of our favorite smartwatches. Given it starts at the same price and looks nearly identical to last year’s Pixel Watch (and the one before that), though, it might not be immediately obvious what’s actually different this year.

So earlier this month, we asked what you wanted to know about the Pixel Watch 3. We got a lot of responses, and here, we’re answering the top 10. These are your Pixel Watch 3 questions, answered.

10 Is the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 comfortable to sleep in?

Asked by Craig

It’s hard to know what’ll be comfortable for other people, but personally, I don’t find the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 any less comfortable to sleep in than the 41mm. I think the rounded shape really helps there. Your mileage will vary, of course; if you have smaller wrists or you typically think watches are uncomfortable to sleep in, consider the smaller model.

9 How’s the battery life?

Asked by Craig and Chris

Google says that both the 41mm and the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 can last up to 24 hours on a charge with the always-on display on. It’ll vary based on your usage, but in my time with the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 so far, I regularly get a little longer than that. Streaming music over an LTE connection burns through battery, but YouTube Music and Spotify both let you save music locally to the watch. (I hit my device limit on Spotify and didn’t want to deal with it, so I’m living with the dinged battery life.)

In our review, Tshaka found that the 45mm version easily outlasts Google’s estimates; he got as long as 48 hours between charges on his lower usage days.

8 Can the Pixel 9 charge the Pixel Watch 3 with reverse wireless charging?

Asked by Razey

The Pixel 9 series offers reverse wireless charging (when it’s not plugged in), branded as Battery Sharing. But just like the Pixel Watch 2, the Pixel Watch 3’s charger uses magnetically aligned pins to transmit power. It doesn’t support wireless charging, from the Pixel 9 or otherwise.

7 Does the Pixel Watch 3 use the same charger as the Pixel Watch 2?

Asked by Dave

The Pixel Watch 3 — both the 41mm and 45mm versions — charges using the same magnetic pogo-pin charger as the Pixel Watch 2. It’s actually the same charger design as Fitbit’s Versa and Sense trackers, too; I regularly charge my Pixel Watch 3 with the adapter I got with the Fitbit Sense 2.

Charging hardware is different from the first-generation Pixel Watch, though, which charged wirelessly.

6 Is the Pixel Watch 3 worth buying with only three years of software updates?

Asked by Jennifer

As reader Jennifer points out, the Pixel Watch 3 is only guaranteed three years of software updates starting from its on-sale date, September 10. That’s less than the competition: In 2022, Samsung said its Galaxy Watch 4 series and “upcoming Galaxy Watch series devices” would receive four years of updates. Apple doesn’t have a formal update policy, but it has confirmed that Apple Watch devices as far back as 2020’s Watch 6 will get watchOS 11 soon.

Whether that matters depends on how often you want to buy a smartwatch. Personally, I can’t see myself using the same model for longer than three years — but I’m a professional Android nerd. If longevity is your top priority, the Galaxy Watch 7 is expected to get updates for about 10 months longer than the Pixel Watch 3.

5 I’m not a fitness person. Is there still value in the watch for me?

Asked by Croots

Google’s leaning into Pixel Watch 3’s fitness features in marketing, and in our review, Tshaka was impressed with its step tracking accuracy, responsiveness to changes in heart rate, and easy-to-understand cardio load metrics.

None of that will matter to you if you’re not using the watch for fitness, but the Pixel Watch 3 does a great job with all the other smartwatch stuff, too. You can use it to make payments with Google Wallet; control smart home gadgets through Google Home; unlock your phone; and of course, get notifications. I also think it’s just a really nice looking watch.

4 What does UWB do in the Pixel Watch 3?

Asked by Jakub

The Pixel Watch 3 comes with ultra-wideband connectivity, but I wouldn’t call it a significant addition. UWB enables enhanced Watch Unlock, which allows you to bypass your compatible Pixel phone’s lock screen if you’re wearing the watch, but only when the phone and watch are physically near each other. (The Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel Fold, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold all support this feature.) Other Android phones have access to a similar Bluetooth-based feature that doesn’t take proximity into account: if the Pixel Watch 3 is on your wrist and connected to your phone by Bluetooth, you can swipe your phone open without a PIN or passcode. In detecting physical proximity, UWB connectivity adds an extra layer of protection.

UWB also means you can use the Pixel Watch 3 as a digital car key for “select vehicles in select markets.” Google doesn’t specify which, but says the feature will be available in vehicles from BMW and Mini first.

3 How’s the audio quality from the Pixel Watch 3’s speaker?

Asked by Joey

The Pixel Watch 3’s speaker is not good. As with previous generations, sound from the Pixel Watch 3 is tinny and harsh. It’s fine enough for alarms, notification chimes, and Google Assistant feedback, but I wouldn’t want to take a phone call on the watch itself if I had any other option.

2 How useful are the new Fitbit metrics, and do they require a Premium subscription?

Asked by Anton

The most notable new Fitbit metric tracked by the Pixel Watch 3 is Cardio Load, which gives you a single-number snapshot that describes how hard your heart works day to day. Fitbit also provides a target Cardio Load number each day based on your recent sleep and exercise data. These features do not require Fitbit Premium.

The Pixel Watch 3 also tracks a number of running-specific metrics like stride length and vertical oscillation. These metrics don’t require Premium, either. However, with Fitbit Premium, you’ll get “insights” about your running form that compare your recent runs to past activity “to identify trends and outliers” about your running performance.

An additional Fitbit Premium feature generates running workouts tailored to your goals (which the app lets you define broadly as maintaining your fitness level or improving it) and past performance. Without Fitbit Premium, you can still create custom run plans manually.

Also notable: Fitbit’s readiness score is no longer a paid feature and is available to everyone.

Personally, I think all these new metrics are helpful, and I don’t mind paying for them. That said, I’m a novice runner. If you’re a more seasoned athlete, you might have less use for the paid features.

1 Is the Pixel Watch 3 worth upgrading to from the first-gen Pixel Watch?

Asked by Anthony

The Pixel Watch 3 is a major improvement over the first-generation Pixel Watch in several ways. It’s quicker; it has a brighter display with smaller bezels; you can get it in two sizes; and it comes with a bunch of new fitness capabilities targeted at runners. And crucially, its battery life is significantly better than the original Pixel Watch, actually delivering on the “all-day battery life” promise.

If you only use your original Pixel Watch to check the time and read notifications, the third-gen model won’t feel much different to you. But if you’re specifically after better battery life or more fulsome running functionality, it’s an easy upgrade from the 2022 model.